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HEALTH-VIRUS-LATVIA-VACCINES
Latvia suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine
RIGA, March 15, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Latvian health authorities said Monday they
were temporarily suspending the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine,
following the lead of other countries to have paused rollouts over blood clot
fears.
Latvia’s “health authorities are asking doctors not to use the opened
vials of the AstraZeneca vaccine and not to open new ones,” the Baltic
state’s health agencies said in a joint statement.
They said they were halting the use of the vaccine “as a precautionary
measure” based on reports of side effects from other EU countries, while
adding that no such cases have been confirmed in Latvia.
The measure will be in effect for up to two weeks, they added.
The European Medicines Agency will hold a special meeting on Thursday to
decide whether measures are needed over concerns that some people developed
blood clots after being inoculated.
The World Health Organization said countries should continue to use the
jab, adding it would convene its expert panel on Tuesday to review the
vaccine’s safety.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0954 hrs